Srinagar, Feb 1: The cold was back after two days of a positive surge in temperatures as the mercury plummeted in Kashmir Valley where Gulmarg registered a drop of over eight degrees in its minimum temperature.
The Met Department on Friday predicted that the Valley will receive mild to heavy snowfall from 4 February onwards.
Director Metrology, Sonam Lotus said a heavy weather system is developing over Kashmir and the Valley is likely to receive snowfall from Monday onwards. “A heavy weather system is developing over Kashmir and the whole Valley is likely to receive mild to heavy snowfall,” Sonam said. “In isolated places and higher reaches, snowfall might occur tomorrow as well.”
He also said that from tomorrow onwards, Valley will witness a gradual decrease in day temperatures. “The skies will also remain overcast from tomorrow owing to the weather system,” Sonam said.
According to MeT office, the ski resort in north Kashmir had recorded a low of -2 degrees the previous night but the sharp decline in temperature saw it shivering at -10.6 degree Celsius yesterday.
The minimum temperature in Srinagar was -1.4 degrees, which was lower by over two notches from the previous night’s 1.8 degree Celsius, while the mercury in south Kashmir’s Pahalgam settled at -4.4 degree Celsius. The hill resort had recorded -3.6 degrees the previous night.
The minimum temperature in the highway town of Qazigund, also in south Kashmir, was -3.6 degree Celsius as against -1.4 degrees yesterday.
Kokernag recorded a low of -1 degree Celsius, up from -1.5 degrees the night before, while Kupwara town in north Kashmir was at -1.7 degree Celsius after 0.7 degrees the previous night.
Night temperatures improved in Ladakh where a jump of five notches saw the minimum in Leh rise to -7 degrees after -12.2 degree Celsius the previous night.
The night temperature in Kargil, also in the frontier region of Ladakh, settled at a minimum of -8 degrees as against -13.6 degree Celsius yesterday.
Meanwhile, SP Rural (Traffic) Manzoor Ahmad Dalal said that on 2.2.2013, one way traffic will continue to ply on Srinagar-Jammu highway. “Subject to fair weather conditions and good condition of road, tomorrow on 2.2.2013, all kinds of vehicles will be allowed to travel from Srinagar side towards Jammu,” he said. “Today, more than 3000 vehicles crossed Jawahar tunnel and entered Valley.” With inputs from PTI

Lastupdate on : Fri, 1 Feb 2013 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Fri, 1 Feb 2013 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Sat, 2 Feb 2013 00:00:00 IST